Data Migration

Import your data into NetSuite via CSV.

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The Import Process

DATA MIGRATION WORKFLOW
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Step 1: Export from old system
        ↓
Step 2: Prepare CSV file (map columns)
        ↓
Step 3: Test import (small batch)
        ↓
Step 4: Fix errors
        ↓
Step 5: Full import
        ↓
Step 6: Verify data

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Navigation

Setup > Import/Export > Import CSV Records

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Step-by-Step: Basic Import

Step 1: Prepare Your CSV

CSV FILE EXAMPLE: CUSTOMERS
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Company Name,Email,Phone,Address,City,State,Zip
"ABC Corporation",contact@abc.com,555-1234,123 Main St,New York,NY,10001
"XYZ Industries",info@xyz.com,555-5678,456 Oak Ave,Chicago,IL,60601
"Demo Company",demo@demo.com,555-9999,789 Pine Rd,Dallas,TX,75001

CSV Tips:

• First row = column headers
• Use quotes around text with commas
• Save as UTF-8 encoding
• Maximum 25,000 rows per file

Step 2: Start the Import

STARTING AN IMPORT
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Step 1: Navigate
Setup > Import/Export > Import CSV Records

Step 2: Select Import Type
├── Record Type: Customer
└── Character Encoding: UTF-8 (usually)

Step 3: Select your file
Click "Select" and choose your CSV

Step 4: Click "Next"

Step 3: Map Fields

FIELD MAPPING
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CSV Column          →    NetSuite Field
─────────────────────────────────────────
Company Name        →    Company Name
Email               →    Email
Phone               →    Phone
Address             →    Address 1
City                →    City
State               →    State
Zip                 →    Zip

Tip: NetSuite will auto-match common column names

Step 4: Set Import Options

IMPORT OPTIONS
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Common Settings:
├── Overwrite/Add: Add new records only OR update existing
├── Multi-Select Delimiter: How to separate multiple values
└── Run in Background: ✓ for large imports

For Updates:
├── Match by: Which field identifies existing records
│   ├── Internal ID
│   ├── External ID
│   └── Name/Email/etc.

Step 5: Run Test Import

TESTING YOUR IMPORT
===============================================================================

Always do a test first!

Option 1: Test with small file
├── Create CSV with 5-10 rows
├── Run import
├── Check the results
└── Delete test records

Option 2: Use "Preview" feature
├── Click "Preview" instead of "Import"
├── Review what would happen
└── Check for errors before committing

Step 6: Review and Fix Errors

HANDLING ERRORS
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After import, check the Job Status:
Setup > Import/Export > View CSV Import Results

Common Errors:
├── "Required field missing" → Add column to CSV
├── "Invalid value" → Fix data format
├── "Duplicate record" → Already exists (use update)
└── "List value not found" → Value not in dropdown

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What Can Be Imported?

Record Type	Examples
Lists	Customers, Vendors, Items, Employees
Transactions	Sales Orders, Invoices, Bills
Custom Records	Any custom record you've created

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Import Order Matters

When importing related data, follow this order:

IMPORT DEPENDENCY ORDER
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Groups/Classifications FIRST:
├── Departments
├── Locations
├── Classes
└── Custom Lists

Then Master Records:
├── Customers
├── Vendors
├── Items
└── Employees

Last, Transactions:
├── Sales Orders
├── Invoices
├── Purchase Orders
└── Bills

Why? Transactions reference customers, items, etc.

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Common Field Mappings

Customer Import

CSV Column	NetSuite Field
Company Name	Company Name
Contact Name	Contact (create separately)
Email	Email
Phone	Phone
Address	Address 1
City	City
State	State/Province
Zip	Zip
Country	Country
Credit Limit	Credit Limit
Payment Terms	Terms

Item Import

CSV Column	NetSuite Field
Item Name	Item Name/Number
Description	Description
Price	Base Price
Cost	Cost
Item Type	Item Type
Inventory Location	Location
Quantity	Initial Quantity

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Best Practices

Do	Don't
Test with small batch first	Import 10,000 rows untested
Clean data before import	Import dirty data
Back up before major imports	Skip backups
Import in correct order	Import transactions first
Document what you imported	Forget what you did

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Quick Reference

I want to...	Go to
Import records	Setup > Import/Export > Import CSV Records
Check import status	Setup > Import/Export > View CSV Import Results
Download template	During import wizard, click "Download Template"
Delete failed imports	Lists > [Record] > Delete or Mass Delete

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Key Takeaways

1. Clean data first - garbage in = garbage out
2. Test small batch - before full import
3. Follow dependency order - lists → masters → transactions
4. Map fields carefully - check the preview
5. Keep import files - for reference later

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Related Topics

• Data Integrity - Keeping data clean
• NetSuite Structure - Segments to import
• Custom Subtabs, Lists & Fields - Custom fields in imports